“Where are you taking me?” she asked over the whir of the motor.
“You’ll see.” His face was calm as he leaned forward to speak to the pilot. He was commanding, serious, until he turned back to her with that panty-melting smile. She squirmed again, gripping the seat next to her. Heaven forbid they end up alone in the cabin again. She didn’t know what she would do.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then looked out over the mountain as they flew up along the ridge. Breathtaking. He reached out a hand for hers and she took it and let it rest on her knee. A guy who took her in a helicopter could have that and more. She blushed at the thought and kept her eyes on the scenery. Otherwise, she’d be tempted to rake his body again, look at his chest, his tight waist, powerful shoulders, and um, below the belt. She swallowed nervously and forced herself to stay facing the window.
* * *
She was adorable. Ryder couldn’t hide his smile at her excitement, so he was glad she was turned to the window, rather than watching him beam at her creepily. He couldn’t help it. Already, her happiness was his happiness. If he’d met her before, he had no doubt they’d have settled into exactly this already. What if he’d never left town?
No, then he wouldn’t be Ryder Hart, the man he was now. And maybe she wouldn’t even want him. That thought rankled. Would she have wanted him as just the heir to a minor tourist hotel? He frowned but pushed away any darkness by watching her gaze eagerly out at the scenery flying by. He’d been up here before, so it wasn’t anything new to him. But it was new taking someone special. It was definitely new being here with a beautiful woman.
He had lunch planned in the little mountain lodge that had been his father’s private retreat. And probably where he brought his women, he thought with a frown.
But that wouldn’t ruin his day with Janna. When the chopper landed, he helped her out, and the pilot took off, presumably for a day of heli-skiing with someone like Ryan. Ryder had his own ideas for getting down the mountain.
He carried the basket he’d had the chef put together. Nothing fancy, just some sandwiches, chips, and dessert, but anything would be fun with Janna. She followed him curiously to the lodge door and he opened it for her to go inside first, enjoying the sway of her hips as she went. Damn, he just wanted to pick her up and take her to his bedroom and make love to her again.
But first things first. Wooing.
He could be a gentleman even if he was half bear.
She sat at the rustic table and let out an exclamation of pleasure when he pulled out the food. “Ryder, this is too much.”
He scratched his head and grinned. “I told you…”
“You like ‘em well fed. I get it. I get it.” But she didn’t seem mad about it, and she talked about the reports while they ate together. There was an easy kind of mood between them, apart from the sizzling sexual tension that felt like it was ready to break at any moment. But Ryder wasn’t going to lose control a second time. Not if it was going to give his future mate the wrong idea.
But she kept looking up at him from under her eyelashes with furtive glances, deep-brown eyes flashing with some unknown emotion, and darned if it didn’t keep making his pants tight in the most uncomfortable way. And there was no way to shift position while being a gentleman. So he sat there in near agony, trying to focus on what she was saying and not on the velvety lips speaking the words.
Damn.
When lunch finished and she sat back with a sigh of contentment, Ryder felt ready to burst. He stood hurriedly and tugged on his jacket. “Ready to go?” He couldn’t wait to show her the next surprise and get outside where the cold air could cool his ardor. She wasn’t his yet. He had to go slow.
He put out an arm, loving the feel of her small, gloved hand on his forearm, and led her around the side of the cabin, which was shielded from the cold. His own personal snowmobile was waiting for him, and Janna let out another squeak of pleasure when she saw it.
“You ever ridden one of these?” he asked.
She shook her head. “No, but I’m game. Except you aren’t going to try and get me in ski lessons next, are you?”
“Why?” he asked, straddling the seat and reaching for her. “Too much for the Cali girl to handle?”
She smirked and got on behind him. “Never. But a girl can only take so much excitement in one week.”
“Baby,” he said, feeling cheesy but unable to stop himself, “whatever you can take, I’m going to give you.”
She laughed, and he felt it vibrate through him as she pressed against him and wrapped her arms around his middle. Her soft breasts pressed into his back and he groaned. She made him feel like a teenager again. His dad should have warned him that finding your mate made your hormones act like they’d never seen a woman before.